This application relates to a floating knife edge seal for use in a turbine engine.
Gas turbine engines are known, and typically include a fan delivering air into a compressor section. The air is compressed and delivered downstream into a combustion section where it is mixed with fuel and ignited. Products of the combustion pass downstream over turbine rotors causing them to rotate.
The compressor and turbine sections both include a plurality of rotors carrying blades having airfoils. Static vanes are typically positioned intermediate rows of the blades.
It is a desire of gas turbine engine designers to ensure that all gas flow be directed across the blades and vanes, and that leakage inwardly or outwardly of these structures be minimized. Thus, seals are typically provided. One location for a seal would be between a rotor, and at the location of the static vane. One particular type of seal is a knife edge seal. A knife edge seal typically includes one or more pointed seal members that are spaced from a static seal surface that may include abradable material.
Typically, the knife edge seals have been snap or otherwise interference fit into a position locking them to rotate with the rotor. This has sometimes raised concerns with stresses, as the rotor hub flexes.